The Obama administration has yet to put out a convincing argument as to what exactly it expects to get from its recess appointment of Robert Ford as its ambassador to Syria. So far, the US government has fallen back on an unpersuasive position, that the appointment was crucial to more effective communication with Damascus and better pressing US interests. However, as some informed Syria observers have noted, Ford’s time in Damascus is likely to be spent “delivering démarches” about Syria’s negative policies.